Strength in Numbers: The Future of Coalition Building and Irregular Warfare
Andrew Milburn and Kyle Atwell | 12.17.21
Strength in Numbers: The Future of Coalition Building and Irregular Warfare
The US withdrawal from Afghanistan ended a coalition of some forty nations, all with their own national goals and internal political dynamics but brought together by a shared interest in that war. In the aftermath of its chaotic collapse, it is easy to forget the prominent role that the United States played in building, leading, and sustaining this coalition—a task that required some determined diplomacy and a sophisticated understanding of what each country brought to the table. As the United States pivots to the Indo-Pacific region and the competition with China for legitimacy and influence below the level of armed conflict, the question becomes whether coalition building is the right approach.
Our guests today have served at the highest levels of government in the United States and Australia, both as soldiers and diplomats. They have considerable experience working with coalitions and understand the rare alchemy that enables them to work at every level, from the tactical to the strategic.
Lieutenant General Douglas Lute retired from the US Army in 2010 after thirty-five years of distinguished service. His military career concluded with six years in the White House, where he served under President George W. Bush as deputy national security advisor for Iraq and Afghanistan, and then as coordinator for South Asia during the first term of the Barack Obama administration. During Obama’s second term, Lute was US Ambassador to NATO, where he focused on the thirty-nation alliance’s responses to new security challenges in Europe and the Middle East.
https://mwi.usma.edu/strength-in-numbers-the-future-of-coalition-building-and-irregular-warfare/
